The School Advisory Board has been established to act as a liaison between the school’s administration (our principal and pastor), our current school families, and the broader parish and local communities. We work to advance common goals:

• To lead community efforts to live out the mission of our school

• To ensure Queen of Martyrs is following best practices for nurturing, educating, and empowering our students

• To coordinate and provide opportunities for parents and guardians, parishioners, and alumni to offer their professional experience and expertise in service of parish and school goals

• To help grow and maintain a robust student enrollment and active parish support for the long-term vitality of Queen of Martyrs School 

• To provide consistent public relations among our parish and neighborhood communities

• To develop and support intentional and effective fundraising efforts to supplement the school’s operating budget

• To support QM leadership, faculty, and staff, so they are set up for success in their day-to-day responsibilities of providing for the academic success of our school children as well as their social and emotional well-being; and

• To encourage the school’s continuous improvement and strategic planning.

The SAB is, by definition, solely an ADVISORY organization set up to provide counsel to the administrative leadership of the school, as directed or requested by the principal and pastor. As stipulated by the Archdiocese’s Office of Catholic Schools and own by-laws, we are specifically charged to focus our efforts, discussions, and actions on the following areas:

• Strategic planning

• New initiative formulation

• Financial planning and management

• Communications and marketing

• Mission effectiveness and enhancement

• Institutional advancement and development

Conversely, the SAB has no authority and is prohibited from independently deciding or acting on the following:

• Specific personnel issues, including the evaluation, termination, and/or renewal of school teachers or staff

• Specific curriculum or academic program selection

• Specific student-related matters, including admission, placement, or discipline issues

In Year One, the SAB will consist of five to seven members.  In Year Two and Year Three, two additional members will be added to allow for future overlapping terms (nine members total). Each is selected by the pastor and principal with input and/or nominations from the school community.  Members agree that the SAB will use their talents, gifts, and insights for the common good of the community to promote the mission and goals of Catholic education. The SAB will defer personal agendas in order to discern with other members the issues, concerns, and challenges we face in meeting the educational needs of our students.

Each of the Board members commits themself to a three-year term, which may be renewed for one additional three-year term at the discretion and request of the pastor and principal. In the future, terms will be staggered in cohorts, so the SAB’s stability and counsel is self-sustaining and benefits from a constant balance of experience and new ideas and energy.

QM School Advisory Board Announces Two New School Board Members

Queen of Martyrs School is excited to announce the addition of two new school board members.

Mr. Dermot McGuire and Mrs. Mary Cunningham have agreed to serve on the Queen of Martyrs School Advisory Board. They join five members who were announced in 2023-2024 when the School Advisory Board was established.

The board is made up of QM parents and St. Gianna parishioners who are dedicated to the growth and success of our school community and is charged with acting as a liaison between the school’s administration (our principal and pastor), our current school families, and the broader parish and local communities. Each board member agrees to serve a 3-year term and next year two additional board members will be added to complete the nine member advisory board.

Our school board members are:

Mrs. Jamie Cachor                       

Mrs. Katie Clark                             

Mrs. Mary (Larkin) Cunningham '04

Mr. Kevin Kirkland

Mr. Dermot McGuire

Mr. Ricardo Sanchez

Mr. Andrew Westman

“Father Benedykt and I are extremely grateful for the willingness of our board members to sacrifice their time and utilize their talents to ensure the growth and success of our school.  We are beyond excited that Mrs. Cunningham and Mr. McGuire are joining an amazing group of professionals that are truly dedicated to the success of Queen of Martyrs School” said Principal Stephen Davidson.

Please help us in congratulating and thanking our new board members for their commitment to Catholic education and Queen of Martyrs School.  

Mr. Dermot McGuire

Dermot has been a devoted member of St. Gianna Parish for many years. His Catholic education began at St. Patrick School and continued at Brother Rice High School. With over 20 years of experience in sales, he has worked with leading home improvement manufacturers. Dermot and his wife are proud parents of three children, two of whom graduated from Queen of Martyrs in 2015 and 2020, while their youngest is currently in second grade.

"The QM community has been an integral part of our family's life for over 20 years, and the lifelong friendships we've built here are what make it truly special. I am excited to contribute to preserving and strengthening this legacy for future generations."

Mrs. Mary (Larkin) Cunningham '04

Mary is a proud alum of Queen of Martyrs from the class of 2004 (which she attended with her three siblings Danny ’00, Colleen ’02, and Jimmy ’16) as well as Mother McAuley High School, from the class of 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

She serves as the Director of Marketing at St. Rita High School, overseeing the institutional messaging, branding, and strategy in support of enrollment and fundraising efforts. Mary and her husband Quin are proud parents of two current and one future wildcat: a daughter in 2nd grade, a son in Preschool 4, and the youngest will be joining us next year.

“As a graduate, current parent, and a daughter of a former teacher at Queen of Martyrs, I know firsthand the benefits of our school’s strong Catholic education and supportive community. Queen of Martyrs is the backbone of our neighborhood. I’m humbled to be a part of this board. I’m eager to help continue the effort of Queen of Martyrs’ strong leadership, dedicated teachers, and hardworking families — who are the heart of our institution.”

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Mrs. Jamie Cachor

Jamie is the product of Catholic education having attended St. John Fisher and Mother McAuley High School.  She graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in Elementary Education and brings fifteen years of dedicated teaching experience. Additionally, she earned two master's degrees from Concordia University, one in Educational Leadership and another in Educational Administration. Jamie and her husband have three children at Queen of Martyrs in 1st grade, Kindergarten, and Preschool.  Catholic education is important to her family because they believe in the integration of faith and learning.  She also loves the strong sense of community among students, parents and educators in the Queen of Martyrs family.  

"Together, let's work together to inspire, empower and have our QM Wildcats thrive academically, personally, and spiritually within our St. Gianna Parish community."

Mrs. Katie Clark

Katie is the product of Catholic education having attended St Walter's Grammar School with her 14 siblings and then following her older sisters' footsteps at Maria High School.  She graduated from Loyola University with a degree in History and Secondary Education. Additionally, she earned a masters degree in Administration and Leadership at St. Xavier University. Katie and her husband have had three of their children graduate from Queen of Martyrs ('19, '21, & '22) and currently have four enrolled here now in 8th, 6th, 4th, and 1st grades.  

“Like so many other parents, both current and alumni, I believe that active participation in my parish encourages its continued success and provides an example to my children about selfless service and the joy of helping others.  I am humbled to have been selected to be a part of this board and I can't wait to work with all members of this amazing school community as we continue to build on Queen of Martyrs inspiring legacy.”

Mr. Kevin Kirkland

Kevin has been a long time parishioner of St. Bernadette and St. Gianna Parish. He is the product of Catholic grade school, high school and college, as was his wife, Carla, who was a long time teacher at Queen of Martyrs School.  They both attended the University of Loyola, Chicago. 

Kevin has worked in the Steel Industry and is currently the GM of sales for a Steel Producer. Kevin and Carla’s three children graduated from St. Bernadette school, St. Rita, and Mount Assisi. Catholic education has always been extremely important to Kevin, a value he and his wife instilled in their children. One of Kevin’s sons currently works for the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame.

“I look forward to working with the board, faculty, and administration to strengthen and ensure the ongoing success of Queen of Martyrs School of St. Gianna Parish.”

Mr. Ricardo Sanchez

Ricardo was raised on the southeast side of Chicago where both his wife and he attended Catholic High Schools and the University of Illinois at Chicago.  He is a Sergeant for the Chicago Police Department, having served for 18 years. Ricardo and his wife’s son graduated from Queen of Martyrs and is currently a freshman at Brother Rice High School.  Their daughter is currently in 6th grade. 

“Providing a Catholic education for our children is very important to us as we believe it builds a strong foundation in religious values. We really appreciate the sense of community that Queen of Martyrs has provided our family, and I am very excited to serve on the School Board to build that community well into the future.”

Mr. Andrew Westman 

Andrew has been a parishioner of St. Bernadette and St. Gianna Parish for the last 16 years.  He grew up in St Louis and attended catholic schools from elementary school through college. He attended the University of Dallas in Irving Texas, where he met his wife, and moved back to Chicago. Andrew has been in the financial services industry for just under 20 years.  Andrew and his wife have 3 kids in 8th, 6th, and 4th grades.  Fr. Benedykt’s leadership and a strong emphasis in the Catholic faith were paramount in their decision to have their children attend Queen of Martyrs School.

“I look forward to helping build upon the Catholic foundation and example set by Fr. Benedykt, Mr. Davidson, and the amazing faculty at Queen of Martyrs.  I am honored to serve and help to further expand the Queen of Martyrs community.”